Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner
There is not another guy I would want coaching this team. Lame duck coach my butt.
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This team maybe .... It is pretty straight forward coaching and motivating a team that has the majority of roster players being able to be sent to minors or have their careers severely curtailed.
Once a player has a couple of million banked and has a mindset that if he isn't having fun or success with this coach it would be better to get a new coach..maybe to get traded or moved to another team...one not in the AHL.
The year before Hartley had a veteran team that was getting paid the cap max.
Iginla, Tanguay, Bouwmeester, Cammalleri, Sarich, Stempniak, Glencross, Hudler, Wideman, Stajan, Jackman, Kipper. All of these guys had career earnings that greatly exceed that of highly paid professionals : Doctors/Lawyers/etc
ALL knew that they were going to get NHL salaries no matter how hard or soft they played. And even if they didn't they would all be financially set for life.
He coached that team to a 24th place finish.
Last year's veterans (guys over 25) that exceeded expectations under Coach Hartley:
Hudler Gio and Russell.
Last years veterans that were below expectations: Wideman, O'Brien, David Jones, Cammalleri ( right until he was un-tradeable to a playoff team at the trade deadline), Stempniak, Galiardi Blair Jones.
Stajan, McGrattan, Butler and Smid played to expectations.
The rest of the team were kids willing to work like crazy for the chance to get a NHL contract and not the $70k / year Baertschi ended up making.
There is a good reason that Hartley has not been extended.